Means for anchoring wire



Nov. 1-1, 1941. A. E. SMITH MEANS FOR ANGHORYING WIRE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Filed March 1, 1940 IMLENTOR n E;

Smi-Eh r ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1941. A. E. SMITH MEANS FOR ANCHORING WIRE Fil ed March 1, 1940 2 Shets-$heet 2 INVENTOR Wm Ed Smvth ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 11, 1941 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS. Foa ANCHORING WIRE Allen E. Smith, Seattle, Wash.

Application. March 1, 1940, serial No. 321,671

5 Claims. 01.14%121) My present invention relates to the general art ofpliers and like tools and more particularly to a means for anchoring wire. 1 1

My device consists essentially of a pliers-like arrangement having the two handles, commonly associated with pliers, that aresuitably joined together so as to provide jaw members that are closed as thetwo handles are pressed together. The head or jaw portion of my device provides surfaces for cutting, holding, and forming wire.

This member has, further, an outwardly. extending finger, which performs the dual function of providing a rest or bearing portion and providing means about which-a coil of wire maybe wound. The cutting surfaces, the holding surfaces, and thefinger-like member, coact to provide; a sequence of, operations that permits of very easily tightening a fence wire.

My tool is particularly designed for the tightening of wires used in fence building, especially wire of the double twisted type which is often provided with entwisted barbs, and is referred to as barbed wire. My tool, however, will work readily on any of the various types of wire used in fence work, even to tightening the individual strands of a woven wire structure. It is characterized by constructions that give a particularly convenient and useful tool, thus overcoming the objections to the various types of fencing tools observed to date. With this tool it is intended that each run of wire between adjacent posts may be successively tightened and, in so doing, partially wrapped around the fence post in such a manner that it may be conveniently cut and once tightened will be held by a form of snubbing action. As a result, there is a minimum likelihood of the fence again slackening after it is properly tightened. This tool, which is so small that it can be conveniently carried in the pocket or in a small tool box normally employed on the average agricultural implement, does away with the bulky, clumsy wire stretching structures and the like that are not capable of performing the same function. as my simple device.

An important principal object of my invention has been the origination of a method of anchoring wires and of forming anchoring means for use in the practice of such a method.

, Another object of mypresent invention is to provide a light weight, convenient and inexpensive tool for use in the practice of the method herein disclosed. and taught. 1

. Afurther object of my invention isto provide a tool that will permit making tight wraps about fence posts and the like so as to securely hold the wire in place without the need of the ordinary staple that is so commonly employed for this purpose. 1 1

Still another object of my invention is toprovide pliers that can be applied to a piece of wire which has been passed around the post, can cut the wire to the length desired, and will hold it after being cut so that the next operation of tightening the wire can be accomplished; then after the Wire has been tightened; the wrapping wire can be in turn wrapped about the fence strand so as to provide a permanent securing of the same. 1

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings where- 1n Figure 1, is a plan view of my tool.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the left hand or jaw end of my tool with the jaws in their closed position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the opposite side of the jaws.

Figure 4 is a front end elevation of my tool as though taken from the left hand side of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the lower jaw member of my tool.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, perspective view taken in the same sense as Figure 5, generally, and showing the upper jaw member of my tool.

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 'l--'| of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6 but'showing the under side of that jaw member.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

Figures 10 to 13, inclusive, are perspective views showing successive steps in tightening a fence wire with my tool. v

Figure 14 is a top plan view showing the step immediately following Figure 13 in which the wire has been cut.

Figures 15, 16, and 17 are perspective views showing the final stages in the tightening of a fence wire and securing the wrapping wire thereto.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, the

numerals I 8 and I9 designate a pair of handle members which are pivoted together in a scissors-like relationship as by rivet or pin 20. Normally this pivot joint should be sufficiently tight so that there will beconsiderable stiffness or friction therein for the purpose of resisting the spreading of the handles as the pliers are passed from hand to hand around a wire or are twisted to form and anchor wires together.

Each handle member I8 and I9 are respectively provided with cutting jaws 22 and 28 which are ordinarily located adjacent the pivot pin 28 in order that a maximum of leverage will be obtained. The jaws are beveled away from the cutting edges in the conventional manner.

Jaw 22 has a return bend portion 28 which lies parallel to the jaw but is spaced therefrom approximately the thickness of the jaw 28. In the bend, I form a guide notch 24 upon which the jaw 28 closes when the cutting edges are brought into the cutting position.

The forward portion of the handle I9 has a clearanc face 38 which is adjacent the pivot on the pin and which materially adds to the convenience of the pliers during a wrapping or 1 serving operation later to be described. EX- tending outwardly from the jaw 28 is formed the finger-like portion 32 which has a diameter substantially equal to the body thickness of the jaw 28 to give it adequate strength for its functions. The former finger 32 is usually provided with some taper towards its outer end and is preferably round in cross section to more smoothly receive wire that is wrapped upon it.

In general, I prefer that my tool be made substantially of a size comparable to the ordinary pliers, as it has been found that a tool of that general size is adequate for all such functions and yet produces a tool that is light in weight and convenient to carry, as well as to use.

Method of operation In using my tool for the tightening of wire fences,it is normally used after the showing of Figures 10 to 17, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings. The first operation is, normally, to uncoil from a coil of wire a short portion with its free end 34 extending out from the center post 36 a sufiicient distance so that adequate wrap can be made around the fence wire 31. The wire then encloses the post on three of its sides, substantially after the showing of Figure 10. My tool is then used to grasp the wire after the showing of Figure 11 in which the wire end 34 is gripped between notch 24 of member I8 and jaw surface 28 of member I9. Sufficient pressure is applied to assure full tension on the wires and yet enable them to slip somewhat through the jaws. From this position the plier is rotated around the fence wire in a plane at right angles to the wire 31 so that the twist is made as indicated at 38 in Figure 12. If the proper length of wire is selected, which can be readily determined by experiment, it will normally be twisted about wire 31 until end 34 has been entirely wound about the fence wire.

When the first coil is completed as shown in Figur 12, the plier is then removed from the right hand side of the fence post. The tool is then placed so as to grip the opposite end of the wire as 48 and cut the wire from its coil with the tool so held as to cut a length of wire sufficient to pick up the slackness of a fence wire. When the cut has been completed, in the position shown in Figure 13, the end 48 of the wire will then be gripped between the flat surface 26 of member I8 and the cutting surface 28 of member I9. This step in the operation is indicated in Figure 14. The finger portion 32 is then pressed against the fence wire 31 and, with the the drawings.

end of the wire gripped between the jaws of the pliers, the wire is wrapped about the former finger 32 after the showing of Figure 15. In so doing, the wrapping wire will be tightened and will tend to pull the fence wire 31 partially around the fence post on each side, thus reducing its length and tightening the same between posts to the desired tension. This operation is accomplished by rotating the whole pliers, after the showing of Figure 15, about the longitudinal axis of the finger 32.

As the wire 40 is formed in spiral coils about the former finger 32, tension is placed upon that portion of the wire 40 that passes behind the post 36 and thence to the point where it was initially anchored to wire 31 by the serving or wrapping 38. The effect is to tension the fencing wire. It will be seen that as the fencing wire becomes tighter, more leverage will be required to rotate the bar or finger 32 about its axis as described. For that reason I have tapered the finger. 32 as is clearly indicated in This tapering serves to gradually increase the ratio between the diameter of the finger and the spread of the handle members I8 and I9 as the coil of wire forms upon the finger in the manner best illustrated in Figure 15.

The next operation is to wind the wrapping coil about wire 31. This is done in the manner best illustrated in Figure 16, in which the tool is passed over and around the fence wire and at the same time revolves in the reverse direction from that shown in Figure 12, so that the wire that has been previously wound around finger 32 will be formed into the second coil 42 around the fence wire. When the desired length of coil 42 has been secured, the end of the wire is cut off by use of the cutting surfaces 22 and 28 of the jaws of the pliers, and the operation is complete. This final stage is shown in Figure 17 in which it will be noted that the fence wire partially encircles the fence post, and the wrapping wire completes the encircling of it. During this operation the fence wire and the wrapping wire tend to cut into the wood of the post and normally this action is sufiicient to hold the fence wire definitely in position without the need of the usual staples.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Fencing pliers comprising a pair of handle members pivoted together in scissors-like relationship, a jaw on each handle member, a return bend portion on one of said jaws adapted to cooperate with the opposed jaw to grip wire, and a former finger on the end of said opposed jaw extending beyond the limits of the other jaw.

2. Fencing pliers comprising a pair of handle members pivoted together in scissors-like relationship, a jaw on each handle member, a return bend portion on one of said jaws adapted to cooperate with the opposed jaw to grip wire and having a guide notch in the bend between the jaw and the return bend portion, and a former finger on said opposed jaw extending beyond the limits of the other jaw.

3. Fencing pliers comprising a pair of handle members pivoted together in scissors-like relationship, a jaw on each handle member, a return bend portion on one of said jaws adapted to cooperatewith the opposed jaw to grip wire, and a tapered former finger on the end of said opposed jaw extending beyond the limits of the other jaw.

4. Fencing pliers comprising a pair of handle 1 members pivotedtogether in scissors-like relationship, a jaw on each handle member, a return bend portion on one of said jaws lying parallel to the plane of and cooperable with the opposed jaw to grip wire, and a former finger on the end of said opposed jaw extending beyond the limits 

